There is something to be said for KT Tunstall’s aggressive yet elegant style. She’s a singer who’s unafraid to blend genres and experiment with new sounds and producers. Unfortunately, Tiger Suit, though unabashed and raw, is deeply flawed and a bit disappointing.

The album opener, “Uummannaq Song,” has a haunting sample and a promising hook, followed by symbolic and introspective lyrics early on. The cool-adventuresome nature that KT fans are so fond of, ends there, however, as the tune launches into a repetitive trail of failed electro-blues beats. In fact, if there was a word to describe this album, it would be “repetitive”.

Second track, “Glamour Puss” is as annoying as the title, with a loop of whistling and distortion throughout that’s about two minutes too long. You can’t fault KT’s voice, though, as it’s still beautiful and genuine as ever. Most songs on Tiger Suit are a new direction for KT, with sampling that ends up being monotonous and distracting rather than refreshing and organic. It’s as if we can see where KT is going, and she’s made a wrong turn.

Luckily, we get classic KT on “Come on, Get in,” and it’s great. A pounding rhythm and catchy chorus are reminiscent of the mid-noughties before producers got too reliant on the mixing board. The arrangements aren’t bad on this effort; it’s just overproduced for an artist who prides herself on accessible folk-rock. “Difficulty” has a softer touch and it serve KT well. It’s floating and contemporary-folk inspired, which is what she’s good at.

Conclusion – Decent if you’re not expecting much. Problem is people expect a lot of someone with KT’s voice, determination and talent.